The Beetlejuice Thread

Old movies are great. Back then, they were decent enough to actually be entertaining compared to all of these new crap and half-assed horror or comedy films, something which I feel a certain ol' film did well enough back in the day. Sure you do get some of those bad, old films that are so cornball'osh that you only watch them to laugh hard at their patheticness. However, those films were made by some people who had no idea what the hell they were doing. In some ways, they are comparable to today's directors.

But forget about them. What I'm talking about is Tim Burton, a genius. Responisble for so many decent works that puts a lot of movies today to shame.

Okay so he may have done Pee-Wee's Big Adventure and 2005's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but he still did many great things.

Now while I admit that I haven't seen many of his works, I can see the grandness he did. And to some, it may have all started with one of his projects. The very film that actually did a good job at comedy horror. You know what I am talking about.

I can (almost) remember it like it was yesterday. So many years ago, I had discovered the film of Beetlejuice. However I was young back then, and I easily got spooked by stuff. (Barbara skeleton closet scene had scared me so much that I stopped watching for some time.) I was stupid back then, to think I allowed something like that prevent me from watching it. Well I grew up a little and then noticed that it was the coming of Halloween, and figured that I would try rewatching it.

Wonderful. Simply grand. Here we have a tale that is not meant to be too frightening, but a comedic spin-off of what we call the afterlife. It shows how the paranormal can work, but in unexpected ways that do not involve posessing or murdering people, but rather just attempting to scare them away so that you can get back your country home that you worked so hard on. It's like one of those old kiddie cartoons of ghosts scaring away people, but done so in a way that entertains anyone of almost any age. And then you have a certain unexplained man named Beetlejuice (or Betelgeuse), an insane man who just wants to have a little cruel fun and more importantly, get that damn freedom he wants. He also even attempted to marry Lydia Deetz out of her free will, only to be devoured by a Sandworm and survive. Course, that pairing is very popular in the fandom community.

Yes, I grew up with the film and still love it to this day.

And then there was once talk about a sequel, which never did got produced. Well, I wouldn't have liked a sequel with the setting being Hawaii anyway, just sounds stupid.

And finally, you have the cartoons. Completely different from the movie, but according to a Beetlejuice book, that series is still supposed to be a sequel to the film. Unfortunately I couldn't grow up with the cartoons, as I was born in 1992 and the cartoon ended in '91. However I was for a time able to enjoy the series, as Teletoon (Canadian station) had once aired reruns as a Halloween special about four years or so ago. Now unfortunately that's the end of it, but luckily I have youtube.

And so there you go, my little rant on the greatness of one of Tim Burton's works. With that out of the way, how about you? Whether it be the movie (movie preferred, because of this board) or the cartoons, feel free to discuss about it 'til your heart's content.

Oh Beetlejuice is the win! I love that movie so much! Ive seen it like a million times! I think Juno the case worker is my favorite though lol. Lydia's old school goth style is awesome. The cartoon was funny and i used to watch it all the time.

Originally Posted by Zeldoom

Oh Beetlejuice is the win! I love that movie so much! Ive seen it like a million times! I think Juno the case worker is my favorite though lol. Lydia's old school goth style is awesome. The cartoon was funny and i used to watch it all the time.

Ah, I was expecting you to come around.

I personally liked the guy who got run over, Mr. Roadkill I call him.

You know I kinda remember Bettlejuice from back in the day. But I didn't like it (didn't like anything scary growing up). I do agree that older movies are 10 fold better than modern stuff. We keep wanting more violence etc (by we I mean the general public) and so movies lose plot and have stupid actors(or at least over rated ones) half the time.

Originally Posted by KillerKat55

You know I kinda remember Bettlejuice from back in the day. But I didn't like it (didn't like anything scary growing up). I do agree that older movies are 10 fold better than modern stuff. We keep wanting more violence etc (by we I mean the general public) and so movies lose plot and have stupid actors(or at least over rated ones) half the time.

My mother has always told me that when movies are advertised too much, it's because they suck. And that movies that are barely known, don't. In some ways, that is very true.

I kind of remember there being a Beetlejuice movie and series. I don't remember much, but I remember liking the series. Probably the movie too. I liked scary stuff when I was younger, though Beetlejiuce isn't as bad as some stuff I watched. I remember waking up in the middle of the night once and watching Friday the 13th. Beetlejuice was tame compared to Jason.

I don't remember how Beetlejuice met Lydia, but I remember there being something between them. Which is weird, even though she was a gothic girl. He's a zombie, you know.

I also remember he was phobic about sand worms. Though those things were huge, and could eat just about anything, so it's understandable. It's like "Yeah, I'm afraid of a T-Rex. So what?"

Originally Posted by Chad

I kind of remember there being a Beetlejuice movie and series. I don't remember much, but I remember liking the series. Probably the movie too. I liked scary stuff when I was younger, though Beetlejiuce isn't as bad as some stuff I watched. I remember waking up in the middle of the night once and watching Friday the 13th. Beetlejuice was tame compared to Jason.

I don't remember how Beetlejuice met Lydia, but I remember there being something between them. Which is weird, even though she was a gothic girl. He's a zombie, you know.

I also remember he was phobic about sand worms. Though those things were huge, and could eat just about anything, so it's understandable. It's like "Yeah, I'm afraid of a T-Rex. So what?"

BJ met Lydia when she went up into the attic looking for Barbara and Adam, only to find that they were gone and ended up noticing BJ stuck in the town model. She wonders who he is and he's all like "I'm The Ghost with the Most, babe." and he goes on that they seem to have a lot in common and asks her the favor of freeing him. However since he is unable to say his own name, for some unexplained reason, they play a guessing game which is later thwarted when Adam and Barbara walk in.

And yes, he does have a phobia of Sandworms. He's also afraid of being hygenic.

I remember that catchphrase. And when she wants to call him, she says his name three times.

Originally Posted by Chad

I remember that catchphrase. And when she wants to call him, she says his name three times.

Exactly. And when nobody wants him around anymore, they say his name three times again.

Course he doesn't like that at all, so he usually tries to zip up their mouths, in a literal sense.

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, mother****ing Beetlejuice.

...Nothing. :l

That movie was a really unusual and interesting interpretation of Tim Burton's idea of the afterlife.
I loved the idea of sucides becoming civil servants in the afterlife.

I love that movie. I watched it around January because a friend recommended it to me. I loved most of Burton's movies anyway, so I figured I'd give it a whirl.

I just love all the scenes where the WhoreHouse was mentioned. Maybe it's just my guttered-mind hooking me in on those parts. Hehe...

Originally Posted by Chari

I love that movie. I watched it around January because a friend recommended it to me. I loved most of Burton's movies anyway, so I figured I'd give it a whirl.

I just love all the scenes where the WhoreHouse was mentioned. Maybe it's just my guttered-mind hooking me in on those parts. Hehe...

'Mentioned'? As far as I recall, there was only one scene of it...

And Austin wins for Robot Chicken reference.

Who doesn't want to listen to some Harry Belafonte after seeing this movie?
Anyways, it was a really bizarre movie (in a good way).

Harry Belafonte is a genius either way but yeah that movie got me into his music!

Originally Posted by Crimson Moon

Who doesn't want to listen to some Harry Belafonte after seeing this movie?
Anyways, it was a really bizarre movie (in a good way).

I laughed out loud at that! I thing Beetlejuice would get along really well with The Joker. BFF definitely.

I recall Beetle Juice as the first Tim Burton movie I watched. It was then that I came to idolize this man with his amazing directing and his dark approaches to the film industry.

Michael Keaton was impressive for the role as Beetlejuice, even though his total screen time WAS about 20 minutes. It's hard to think he would become Batman in the 1989 film, and I can see why many would get mad. Good thing he proved us wrong, and I'd have to say he's the best Batman yet, even better than Bale himself.

The animated series spawned was also on TV on those Halloween ocassions. It was a series to go bonkers for, and the intro was one hell of a mind **** (The Nostalgia Critic even listed it on his Top 10 ) It's still around at this time, and I get a nice laugh or two over it.

Overall, I love Beetlejuice as a stand-alone film and it's unique cartoon series. There has been rumors of a sequel for some time, such as Kevin Smith directing and being called "Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian". Even though it will likely never see the light of day, it makes me wonder the zany possibility for it as an animated film with the original voices.

Still, one is good enough for this world